Best JRPG Spin-Off Games, Ranked

Japanese role-playing games have continued to be a dominant force in gaming despite a lull period in which this genre found itself at one point. The allure of playing games with ridiculous stats that go higher and higher until a team of unassuming adventurers gets the power to beat god never gets old. It’s easy to see why a lot of established games (JRPGs or otherwise) form spinoffs that let players mess around with the hallmarks of the genre.

The best JRPG spinoffs encompass unique forms of combat and make the most of the established worlds they’re set in. It may seem like an easy task, but it’s way more challenging than most people would assume to develop a game that doesn’t feel like it’s in the shadow of its parent IP while trying to do justice to the legacy of JRPGs.

5 Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red/Blue Rescue Team

A Roguelike JRPG With A Surprisingly Riveting Story

• 	Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team	Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team
  System	Nintendo	Nintendo
  Platform(s)	Nintendo Game Boy Advance	Nintendo DS
  Released	2006-09-18	2006-09-18
  Developer(s)	Spike Chunsoft	Spike Chunsoft
  Genre(s)	Roguelike	Roguelike

Pokemon is one of the most popular IPs of all time that sells like gangbusters. It’s only a given that GameFreak and Nintendo would jump on the opportunity to develop spinoffs that capitalize on this series’ popularity, and one of the most popular Pokemon games that’s not a part of the main series is Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. There are numerous games in the series that are worth checking out, with Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red & Blue Rescue Team serving as the first spinoff title to kickstart this side series.

There’s no denying that the first Pokemon Mystery Dungeon game was far from perfect, with the randomized structure being admirable but doing little to alleviate issues with a combat system that becomes stale after a point. Thankfully, the strong plot and dungeon-crawling goodness ensure that Pokemon fans will love this unique JRPG and what it brings to the table.

4 Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings Of Ruin

A Natural Expansion Of The Worldbuilding And Elements Present In Monster Hunter

The world of Monster Hunter is loaded with amazing creatures and wondrous locales that are a joy to experience. The rich history of the series made it ripe for a JRPG spinoff that surprised many fans when it was announced. Monster Hunter Stories is an excellent game with more of a charming take on the series, with the many monsters that can aid players being magical. However, to say that this game was perfect would be short-sighted, and many JRPG fans saw several issues that needed to be ironed out.

So, fans were more than glad to see Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin turn out to be such a smashing improvement across every department. The polish in this game coupled with an engaging story makes it a must-play in the eyes of many fans who love the lore of Monster Hunter and are more than okay with a narrative-driven title that gives the monsters of this game a lot of character.

3 Revelations: Persona

A Shin Megami Tensei Spin-Off That Branched Out Into A Lucrative JRPG Series

In terms of pure greatness, there aren’t many games that rival Revelations: Persona in terms of their importance as a spinoff. The Shin Megami Tensei series’ hardcore trappings were revered by many JRPG fans, but the approachable nature of Persona helped Atlus become more mainstream than ever. The first game in this spinoff series may be too dated for fans to check out, but players who can look past these issues will find themselves enjoying an excellent story-driven JRPG.

Seeing a group of high schoolers take on the threat of demons after awakening their Personas is a setup that fans of the series are familiar with, and it’s fascinating to see Atlus’ early spin on this concept. While the slow-paced combat can be a pain to get through, the ambitious two-pronged narrative and visuals that have aged pretty well for its time make Revelations: Persona engaging if players can look past some aspects of its dated design.

2 Final Fantasy Type-0

The First M-Rated Final Fantasy Game Set In The Fabula Nova Crystallis Series

While Final Fantasy 16‘s existence has made the idea of a mature game in the series easier to digest, there was a time when players couldn’t fathom that an entry from this beloved series would be M-rated. This helped Type-0 stand out as one of the most interesting experiments in the series that expanded on the lore of the Fabula Nova Crystallis series and let players enjoy a fun real-time combat system that rewarded timely dodges and patience in combat.

The structure of this game was interesting, with players controlling fourteen students from Class Zero with unique abilities and movesets of their own. The variety in combat coupled with the mission-based structure makes it clear why many fans were impressed with Final Fantasy Type-0. The summoning mechanic was the only part of the game that could’ve done with some polishing, but that’s a minor gripe in the grand scheme of things for a story with an emotional ending.

1 Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7

A Real-Time Action Title That Serves As A Prequel To Final Fantasy 7

• 	Final Fantasy 7: Crisis Core	Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 Reunion
  System	Xbox, PC, PlayStation	Nintendo, Xbox, PC, PlayStation
  Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, PSP, PS5, PS4, Xbox One	Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, Switch, PS5, PS4, PC, Xbox One
  Released	2007-09-13	2022-12-13
  Developer(s)	Tose, Square Enix	Tose, Square Enix
  Genre(s)	Action-Adventure, Fighting, Action RPG	Action RPG

One of the greatest real-time action JRPGs of all time, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 is a huge reason why so many people were more than okay with the lore of the seventh mainline entry being expanded on with such titles. Zack Fair is an intriguing character who gets his time in the spotlight as players witness his path to becoming a SOLDIER and the many bonds he forms along the way, eventually inheriting the Buster Sword and facing off against Sephiroth.

After being captured by Hojo and Shinra, the game ends on an emotional climax for the ages as Zack makes a last stand and is shot down by waves of Shinra Troopers in a bid to save Cloud. Watching him breathe his last after making such a heroic stand is impressive and goes to show why so many people rate Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7 so highly.